Teenage girl footballer banned by FA for asking transgender opponent 'are you a man?' demands apology after sport's bosses dropped the case

Daily Mail​

10-05-2025

A teenage footballer who received a match ban from the FA for asking a transgender opponent 'are you a man?' has demanded an apology after the case was dropped.
Last year Cerys Vaughan, then 17, was sanctioned by a disciplinary panel for improper conduct after she made the comment while playing a friendly game in Lancashire.
Having been told the player was transgender Vaughan says she then raised the matter with the referee over concerns she had about fairness and safety.
According to The Telegraph, Vaughan admitted to asking a player who reportedly had a beard if they were a man.
Following a complaint she was charged for breaching the FA Code of Conduct, Improper Conduct and for Improper Conduct aggravated by Gender Reassignment.
The complaint was made via Kick It Out, an England-based anti-discrimination watchdog, and included a statement from the trans player and the opposing team's captain, who accused her of transphobia.
Vaughan denied the charges but was found guilty by a National Serious Case Panel and banned for six games – four of which were suspended for 12 months.
The ruling sparked fury from women's rights campaigners who protested against the Football Association's transgender inclusion policy outside Wembley in November 2024.
Vaughan appealed the verdict and in February an FA appeal board found that she had received an 'unfair' hearing, quashed the original ruling, and ordered a new process to take place.
The case has since been dropped after the complainant withdrew from the process.
Vaughan, now 18, has chosen to reveal her identity and in her first broadcast interview told BBC Sport: 'It was stressful. It's definitely impacted my normal life a lot.
'In the end it was pointless, and there was no reason for the FA to put me through all this.
'They said I wasn't guilty anymore and they dropped my charges and cleared my record.'
In a statement, the FA said: 'We can confirm that this disciplinary case has now been closed, as the complainant has chosen to withdraw from the process due to personal reasons.
'All relevant parties have been informed of this outcome and no further action will be taken.
'To protect the players involved, and to respect the confidential details included, we are not in a position to publish further details about this case.'
Vaughan has denied being transphobic.
She is currently on the assessment pathway for autism, and it is common for autistic people to struggle to express their feelings regarding gender.
After her case began, in July 2024, she said in a written statement: 'The moment the player clarified they were transgender (which I previously hadn't considered), I respected their answer fully, dropped the situation and immediately shifted my focus back to the game before seeking guidance from the referee.
'At no point was my question meant to be hurtful or malicious as I only intended to seek clarity in an unfamiliar situation.
'Knowing now that the player was transgender, I understand that there were better ways to approach this question.'